Wanakaset

We stayed here on 8th July for two nights and absolute loved it! Welcoming host and staff. The rooms are simply incredible, each with wonderful views into the forest. Each room is private with a lockable door. Each room has a mosquito pod net, hand basin with hand soap and ceiling fan. Lean linen and towels throughout. All rooms are located in an extremely well built wooden lodge. Toilets and showers were excellent and always kept clean. The bathrooms and toilets are located on the floor below the bedrooms (I thought this would detract from the enjoyment of our stay but it didn’t in the slightest) You are given a key to your own private bathroom. The food cooked here is superb! The food and drinks are all prepared using the surrounding forest and gardens. I’m not a vegetarian but really loved the meals they cooked here. Drinking water was freely available from a filter machine in the main dining area. Staff were extremely helpful throughout (thank you Samoa) and helped us sort a nearby rafting experience. Memories of watching monkeys in the nearby trees, fireflies in the night sky and listening to the forest at night will stay with me forever. For a slightly remote, peaceful and authentic Sri Lankan experience amongst nature this is the place to be!

Went there on 25th December 2023 with my spouse for our regular solitude treat. One of the best choices. Amazing concept and must visited by anyone. It’s an arboretum protecting hundreds of fruity plants. Food is all vegetarian. Unbelievable taste. I am a meat lover but I loved every bit of their meal. Cottages are well designed and looks comfy. Only concern is rooms are not fully concealed from one another so privacy is a little bit of a challenge. But I can understand the design concept is to make it more open and free for natural air circulation. Access road to hotel is quite poor so you actually cannot travel up to the place. A good SUV can but I don’t recommend that either cuz I also went up to the place in a Peugeot 5008 and was done very carefully. You can park the vehicle in a restaurant adjacent to main road and they send a jeep to pick you up. So nothing to worry. Nothing to complain about this hotel. Washrooms are either shared or based on your request you can reserve a personal washroom. Charges may vary. We had dinner and breakfast and both were exquisite. Staff is extremely humble and friendly. Curator is a very helpful. Place is very quiet and peaceful. Ideal for solitude. Found foreigners seeking the same (I am a Sri Lankan). Had a more of a family kind of a vibe inside the hotel. Washrooms and all areas are well cleaned enough. Two thumbs up for this project. Highly recommend.

Wanakaset is the secret pearl of Khitulgala’s forest. You are immersed in nature with all the comforts of a high level accommodation. Rich in biodiversity, full of diverse plants with colourful flowers and fruits. It is truly peaceful and yet very alive, with a wide variety of birds singing during the day and monkeys jumping around the trees at sunset. The rooms are truly unique and authentic, beautifully decorated and open to the forest. Your days will be accompanied by the sounds of nature. Banda, Pema, Yamuna and Dammika are incredibly kind, knowledgeable and attentive. They will make you feel at home and explain everything about the forest and Sri Lankan food and culture. 100 % recommended.